1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a potato harvesting apparatus for harvesting potatoes at maximum ground speed without regard to wet conditions, for removing during such harvesting operation practically all the dirt from the potatoes without bruising or otherwise damaging the potatoes, for depositing the potato vines in the harvesting track and covering same with the dirt removed from the potatoes.
2. Background Art
The prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 37,100, discloses a potato-digger; U.S. Pat. No. 432,992 discloses a potato digger and picker; U.S. Pat. No. 2,488,983 discloses a potato harvesting machine; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,581 discloses a potato digger with soil pulverizing and sifting screw.
The problem in the art is the need for a potato harvesting apparatus for harvesting potatoes at maximum ground speed without regard to wet conditions, for removing during such harvesting operation practically all the dirt from the potatoes without bruising or otherwise damaging the potatoes, for depositing the potato vines in the harvesting track and covering same with the dirt removed from the potatoes, and the need for an apparatus that does not have chain conveyors whose break-down time for repairs takes up at least one-third of the harvesting time.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to contribute to the solution of the discussed problems of the prior art by providing a potato harvesting apparatus for removing practically all the dirt from the harvested potatoes without bruising or otherwise damaging them. The apparatus has disk coulters that cut the vines between the rows of potatoes; three each of primary, secondary and rubber-coated cylindrical cages arranged in order for harvesting the material flow of the potatoes with the cylindrical cages rotating at the same material-flow speed which the apparatus effects; a share that digs up the potatoes for pick up and transfer by the first one of the three primary cylindrical cages; a cylinder raker rotating in a counterclockwise direction opposite from the cylindrical cages to pick up and move the excess of vines, dirt and potatoes onto the second one of the primary cylindrical cages; shaker-tine assemblies that remove the dirt and separate the vines from the potatoes in the material flow; a grinder suction fan that sucks up the vines in proximal relationship to the upper shaker-tine assembly and deposits via a spreading pan and communicating conductor pipe the vines chopped up by the grinder fan in the harvesting track where the vines are covered by dirt sifting down and through the clockwise rotating primary, secondary and rubber-coated cylindrical cages that engage and remove most of the dirt from the potatoes as well as inclusively breaking up the dirt clods. The apparatus can operate at its maximum ground speed because the cylinder raker and cylindrical cages cooperate to pick up and transfer any excess in the harvested material flow of potatoes, dirt and vines without bunching up in front of the first primary cylindrical cage. Instead such excess is moved by the cylinder raker onto the second primary cylindrical cage. The structural design of the cylindrical cages with their easily replaceable twin-tine rods minimizes break-down time for repair.